Machine drive disabling means



Nov. 5, 1963 D. NEWTON MACHINE DRIVE DISABLING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 29, 1961 1m w WE? Lam mli E n i D W Nov; 5, 1963 D. L. NEWTON3,109,230

MACHINE DRIVE DISABLING MEANS Filed May 29, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnventow": David L. Newton 53 f His A tt neg Nov. 5, 1963 D, L, NEWTON3,109,230

MACHINE DRIVE DISABLING MEANS Filed May 29, 1961 I IS SheetS-Sheet aFLQ'Z OPEIQATING CHART 102 HDWNCIE TEST os/r/o/v i PETE/JCT @\@QHCTTEsHuxWm N6 PULLS M25 M5527 [IDLE J\IDL5 PULLS M25 1 2/4/55 curINSERT/N6 1 05mm G LOWER y if DWE L L INDEX" lnven tow: David L. New/tonUnited States Patent 3,109,230 MACHINE DRIVE DISABLING MEANS David L.Newton, leveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No. 113,514 6 Claims.(Cl. 29203) This invention relates to means for disabling a machineactuating or driving assembly, and has as one of its objects theprovision of means for disabling or disengaging the actuating or drivingassembly smoothly at high speeds of operation without sacrificingaccurate timing.

The invention will be illustrated in connection with a support wireinserting mechanism for elastic incandescent lamps wherein one or moresupport wires are inserted endforemost into the softened glass buttonportion of a lamp stem. Such a mechanism is located at one station of anindexing turret of a mount-making machine. The inserting mechanismgenerally comprises a plurality of inserting heads mounted on a liftingspider carried by a lifting shaft which periodically raises the heads toan operating elevation for insertion of the support wires and lowersthem during indexing of the turret to avoid interference with partscarried by the turret. An operating spider, carried by an operatingshaft, is arranged to move vertically with the lifting spider duringmovement of the lifting spider to and from its operating elevation, andis also arranged to move vertically independently of the movement of thelifting spider to operate or actuate mechanism for causing wire to bewithdrawn from supply spools on the inserting heads and inserted in thebuttons on the stern structure. The heads thus function only when themovement of the operating spider is independent of the movement of thelifting spider. Means are also provided to detect the presence of afaulty stem, and when such a stem, or the absence of a stem is detected,it is desirable not to insert support wires.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, upon detectionof a faulty stem the inserting operations of the inserting heads aresuspended by interrupting the independent motion of the operating spiderwith respect to the lifting spider. The operations of raising andlowering the lifting spider, and the operating spider therewith, are notinterrupted, thereby making it possible to coordinate those operationswith the indexing of the turret at high speeds while providing a smoothdisengagement of the drive assembly for the operating spider.

Further features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description of a species thereof and from the drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a support wire insertingmechanism and an actuating or driving assembly therefor in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inserting mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the actuating or driving assembly taken atright angles to the showing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of the turretof the associated mount-making machine and a stem detector or feelermechanism located at a station ahead of that occupied by the insertingmechamsm;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing the relationship of thelifting and operating shafts, and associated driving elements, at theirlowermost positions;

FIG. 6 is an elevation similar to FIG. 5 showing the relationship of theseveral parts, with the operating shaft drive linkage in its disabledcondition; and

FIG. 7 is an operating chart showing the timing of the variousoperations of the inserting mechanism and associated turret.

The inserting mechanism shown herein is essentially like that describedin Patent 2,643,440 Flaws et al., to

3,109,230 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 ice which reference is directed for amore complete description than is contained herein. The insertingmechanism is located at a station A (BIG. 2) of a mount-making machinebelow the turret .1 which carries at its periphery a plurality of stemsupporting heads 2:(F1G. 4) which comprise pairs of jaws 3 and 4 forholding stems 5 and carrying them to successive stations by indexingmovements of the turret in the manner described in Patent 1,907,532,Flaws. The stems each comprise a flared glass stem tube 6 having a glassexhaust tube 7 and arbor 8 extending therefrom and gripped by therespective pairs of jaws 3 and 4, and a pair of lead-in wires 9.

The inserting mechanism comprism three inserting heads 10 (FIG. 2) whichare mounted on a lifting spider 11 (FIG. 1) which is attached to avertical hollow lifting shaft 12 which is slidable in hearings in abracket 13 fastened to the table 14 under the turret 1. The operatingelements of the inserting heads 10 are actuated by an operating oractuating spider 15 which is attached to an operating shaft 16 whichextends through the interior of the hollow lifting shaft 12. Thevertical movements of shafts 12 and 16 are derived through groovedcollars 17 and 18 which are clamped to the lower ends of the respectiveshafts and which carry shoes 19 and 20 in their grooves. ing by a guidebar 21 which is fixed to bracket 13 and extends through a slot in eachshoe. This arrangement makes it possible to rotate the entire assemblyof spiders 1'1 and 15, and parts carried thereby, out from under theturret 1 for maintenance and material supply purposes while the driveremains stationary. As explained more fully in the aforesaid FlawsPatent 2,643,440, the rotation of the assembly is performed Withoutdisturbing the angular relationship of the spiders -11 and 15 which arelocked in fixed angular relationship by engagement of a lug 22 on spider15 with a vertically slotted rib 23 on a bracket 24 attached to spider11.

The lifting shaft 12 is driven by a face cam 25 through a linkageconsisting of a lever 26 which pivots on pin 27 in bracket 28, andconnecting links 29 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which are connected between theforked end of the horizontal arm of lever 26 and the shoe 19 on collar17.-

The operating shaft 16 is driven by cam 30 through ,a linkage consistingof a lever 31 which is pivoted on pin 32 in bracket 33, horizontal link34 and vertical links 35 which are connected to shoe 20 on collar 18.The ,pin 36 which connects links 34 and 35 carries rollers 37 which ridein an inclined track or slot 38 in a normally fixed cam segment 39 whichwill be further referred to hereinafter.

The function of the inserting heads 10 is to insert the ends ofrespective wires 40 into a heat softened button 41 (FIG. 1) onthe end ofthe glass arbor portion 8 of stem 5. In the normal operation of theapparatus, upon indexing of a stem-supponting head 2 to station A theinserting heads 10 are raised to their operating or inserting elevationas shown in FIG. 1, by upward movement of the lifting spider 11, theoperating spider 15 also being raised at that time along with spider 11.The upward movement of spider 11 causes -a pointed mandrel 42 on thebracket 24 to engage and upset the previously heated and softened lowerend of the stem arbor 8 to form the button 41 thereon. The upward motionof spiders 11 and 15 is effected by corresponding groove or trackportions in respective earns 25 and 30 acting through their respectivelinkages on respective lifting and operating shafts 12 and 16.

For particularly high speed operation, the timing of the upward movementof the inserting mechanism is such that it is begun approximately midwayof the indexing movement of a stem-supporting head 2 to station A, sothat the head 2 and stem 5 reach station A just prior to The shoes 19and 20 are prevented from rotatthe time the inserting heads reach theiroperating elevation without interference between parts of the insertingmechanism and the stem supporting heads 2 and stems 5.

The next step is insertion of the support wires 40 into the button 41 bya rectilinear translation of the wires radially of the button 41. Thewires 49 are each an end section which has been severed from a supply ofwire 443a on a spool 43 on each insenting head 10. The in sortingoperation is effected by an independent downward movement of theoperating shaft 16 which carries the head portions 44 of studs 45(FIG. 1) on spider 15 downward against the ends of levers 46 onrespective heads to thereby pivot each of the levers 46 and move forwarda ram section including a slide 47 (FIG. 1) and jaws 48 having offsetends. The jaws 48 are at that time in an advanced position from thatshown in FIG. 1 and are closed upon the wire 40 near its end, so thatthey plunge the end of the wire into the button 41, all as more fullydescribed in the aforesaid Flaws et al. Patent 2,643,440. The downwardmovement of operating shaft 16 and spider is effected by a propercon-touring of the groovp I in the face of cam which causes the lever 31to pivot clockwise in FIG. 1 which carries link 34 to the left to pullroller 37 down in cam slot 38 which pulls downward on link 34, collar 18and shaft 16.

The inserting mechanism then goes through an idle period during whichthe glass button 41 cools and solidifies sufiiciently to firmly grip theends of the support wires embedded therein.

In the next operation the support wire gripping jaws 48 are opened andretracted to bring their offset ends to a position behind the opencutters 49 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This operation is effected by areturn upward movement of the operating shaft 16 under the influence ofcam 30, whereby the lever 46 on each inserting head 10 is pivotedcounter-clockwise (FIG. 1) by a bar 50 on the operating spider 15. Atthe end of this operation, the collar 18 on the lower end of shaft 16 isin engagement with the lower end of the lifting shaft 12, the upperannular surface of collar 18 and the lower end of shaft 12 serving aslateral abutting surfaces. The engagement may be direct, as shown inFIG. 1, or through adjustable studs (not shown) depending from the lowerannular surface of collar 17 and engaged by the upper annular surface ofcollar 18. v

'l he inserting cycle is completed by a lowering movement of theinserting heads 10 to a position clear of the lamp stem 5, and by anaccompanying advancing movement of the wire-feeding jaws 48 to draw outa length of wire from the supply of wire 40a on the spool 43 preparatoryto the next inserting operation. The lowering of the heads 10 occursunder the influence of cam 25. The advancing movement of the jaws 48 iseffected by a slightly faster and greater downward travel of theoperating spider 15 and shaft 16 under the control of cam 30.

The indexing movement of the stem-supporting head 2 away from theinsenting station A begins when a little more than /3 of the loweringmovement of the inserting heads 10 has been completed. The loweringmovement is completed, and then the immediately following upwardmovement of the inserting heads in the next cycle of operation beginsmidway of the indexing movement of turret 1.

During the raising of the lifting and operating spiders 11 and 15 intoinserting position, the drawn out end portions 40 of the supply ofsupport wires 40a are severed by the cutters 49 on the respectiveinserting heads 10, as disclosed in the aforesaid Flaws et al. Patent2,643,440.

In accordance with the present invention, the presence of a defectiveitem 5 in the head 2 at station B (preceding station A) brings intoeffect a disabling of the drive for the operating shaft 16 such thatshaft 16 has no motion of its own independent of the lifting shaft 12but is constrained to move with the lifting shaft whereby the insertingheads 10 are rendered inoperative.

To that end, the cam segment 39 (FIG. 1) is pivotally mounted on pin 51in a bracket 52 which is attached to the machine base 53. The bracket 52carries a locking pin 54 which normally extends into a hole 55 (FIG. 3)

' in segment 39 and fixes the segment securely in position with thetrack 38 inclined 45 to the horizontal. The pin 54 is withdrawn andreturned by energizing and deenergizing a solenoid 56 which is attachedto bracket 52 and which has its armature 57 connected by a link 58 toone end of a lever 59 which is pivoted at 60 and is connected at itsother end to the pin 54. The pin 54 is normally held in locked positionin the hole 55 in segment 39 by a spring 60. j

The operating and lifting portions of the inserting mechanism are tiedtogether by springs 61 which are connected between the pivot pins 62 and63 on the lever 26 and shoe 2! respectively, and said springs havesufficient force to overcome the weight of the operating shaft 16 andthe parts connected thereto including the spider 15, drive linkage 35-34etc. 7

During normal operation, both the lifting and operating drives are rigidand each imparts motion prescribed by its respective operating cam 25and 30. However, when a defective stem is detected, the solenoid 56 isenergized and the pin 54 is Withdrawn from the hole 55' in segment 39.Since the segment 39 is then free to rotate about its pivot pin 51 theoperating drive is no longer rigid. The operating shaft 16 continues totravel up and down with the lifting shaft 12 because of the springs 61but it has no movement independent of .the lifting shaft because itsdrive linkage 34-35 is floating. The inserting heads 10 are thereforeinoperative. The floating condition of linkage 3435 is illustrated inFIG. 6 as compared to the rigid condition in FIG. 5. At the end of acomplete :cycle, if no more defective stems are detected the solenoid 56is ale-energized and the locking pin 54 is returned to its position byspring 60 and normal operation resumed. There is no shock duringengagement and disengagement because the timing is such that the pin 54is withdrawn and returned to position during periods of dwell on bothdrive cams 25 and 30.

The energization of solenoid 56, for performing the disabling function,is under the control of a detector or feeler device 64 (FIG. 4) locatedat station B (FIG. 2) preceding the inserting station A. The detector 64illustrated herein detects the absence of a stem 5 or a stem defectiveby virtue of absence or distortion of one or both cad-in wires 9. Tothat end, the detector comprises a pair of spring fingers 65 which arebrought into position to engage the respective lead wires 9. The fingers65 have contacts thereon which normally engage respective contacts 66 ona metallic bar 67 which is attached to an insulating bracket 68.However, the contacts on fingers 65 are separated from contacts '66 uponengagement of the fingers 65 with the lead wires 9 and continuedmovement of bracket 68.

The detector 67 is actuated by a linkage system including an upwardlyextending lever 69 (FIG. 2) which is pivoted at "70 and is connected bya downwardly extending link (not shown) to a horizontal follower lever71 which is pivoted 'at 72 and is actuated by a cam 73 on the main camshaft 74 which also carries the inserting drive cam 25 and 30. Theactuation of the detector is, of course, timed by cam 73 to occur duringthe dwell period of the indexing cycle of the turret 1.

The absence of a stem- 5, or the presence of a defective ste at stationB fails to displace one or both ofwthe fingers 65 of the detector 64 sothat the portion of the electrical circuit there/through remainscomplete. complete circuit is from one terminal 75 of a current source(FIG. 4) through conductor 76, screw 77, bar 67, contacts 66, fingers65, screws '78, conductor 79, timer switch conductor 81, coil 82 ofsolenoid 56, and con- The ductor 83 to the other terminal 84. However,the circuit is not completed until a time nearly through the rest periodof the indexing cycle of the turret 1. At that time, the timer switch 80(FIGS. 1 and 4) is closed by a cam 85 on shaft 74 to complete thecircuit to the solenoid 56 and thereby cause the locking pin 54 (FIG. 3)to be withdrawn from the hole 55 in the cam segment 39. The drive to theoperating shaft 16 is thereby disabled so that the inserting heads .10are inoperative to feed support wires to the defective stem.

Also at the time the detecting circuit is completed, both the liftingshaft 12 and operating shaft 16 are at their uppermost elevations as inFIG. 1 at the beginning of an idle period of drive cam 30- (drive cam25- at that time being in an idle period) so that there is no shockduring disengagement of the pin 54 from the segment 39. Thereafter,whereas the drive shaft 16 would normally be pulled down by its drivecam 30 at a faster rate than the lifting shaft 12 is pulled down by itsdrive cam 25 in order to effect advancement of the ram jaws 4-8 to drawout wire from the spool 43, clockwise pivoting of the drive lever 31(FIG. 1) instead causes the link '34 to swing the cam segment 39counter-clockwise about pin 51, as shown in FIG. 6, the operating shaft16 being retained in fixed relation to the lifting shaft 12 by springs61. When the cam segment 39 thus swings about pin 51, an car 86 thereonreleases the control pin 87 of a holding switch 88 (FIGS. 1 and 4) toclose a holding circuit through the coil 82 of the solenoid 56 andthereby maintain the pin 54 in its retracted position until the segment39 is ultimately returned to its operative position at the same point inthe next operating cycle of the inserting mechanism. The segment 39 ismaintained inoperative throughout that time because the drive cam 30 isholding its associated lever 31 and link 34 in a position such thatnormally, acting through segment 39 and link 35, they would be holdingthe collar 18 on shaft 16 at an elevation below the end of lifting shaft12 as shown in FIG. 5. Instead of that condition, the springs 61 holdthe collar 18 up against the end of the shaft 12, and the segment 39 isheld in its inoperative position by link 34 and lever 31, as shown inFIG. 6.

During the next cycle, if a satisfactory stem 5 should be present atstation E, the engagement of contacts 66 with fingers 65 of thedetecting mechanism (FIG. 4) 64 will be interrupted at'a time when thedrive lever 31 is being pivoted counter-clockwise (FIG. 1) in an attemptto raise the operating shaft 16 to perform the operation of insertingthe support wires 40 in the button 41. Instead of performing thatfunction, the lever 31 causes the resulting movement of link 34 to theright in FIG. 2 to pivot the segment 39 back to its normal operatingposition shown in FIG. -1. Thereby the ear 86 on segment 39 engages thecontrol button 87 of the hold switch 88 to open that switch andinterrupt the holding circuit through the coil 82 of solenoid 56, thuspermitting the locking pin 54 to re-en-gage the segment 39.

The operations of the apparatus will be recapitulated with reference tothe chart in FIG. 7 and beginning at the point in the opera-ting cycleindicated by the broken line at I, at which time the parts of theinserting mechanism are arranged in the positions shown in FIG. 1. Atthis time the mount machine turret 1 is in the dwell period of itsindexing cycle; the lifting spider '11 is up at its operating orinserting position or elevation, theopcrating spider 1 5 is at idle orrest holding the wire feeding ram jaws 48 in a retracted position behindthe cutters 49; and the detector 64 is in its operative or test positionwith the fingers 65 bearing against the lead wires 9 of a 1 satisfactorystem 5 at station B so that contacts'66 are the timer switch 80 isclosed by cam 85 but the circuit to coil 82 of solenoid 56 remainsbroken by separation 6 of contacts 66 from fingers 65 so that thelocking pin 54 holds the cam segment 39 in fixed position.

At point 11 of the cycle, the lifting spider 11 begins its loweringmovement, and the operating spider 15 begins its lowering movement at afaster rate than spider 1-1 to thereby pivot the lever 46, close the ramjaws 48 on the wire 46a and move forwardly to pull a length of wire fromthe spool 43-.

At point III, the turret 1 begins its indexing movement while thelifting spider 11 and operating spider 15 continue their downwardmovement to point IV midway of the indexing movement when both spiders11 and 15 are again raised to the inserting or operating elevation ofspider 11 at point V which is shortly after the indexing movement ofturret 1 has been completed. Between points IV and V, during raising ofspiders 11 and 15, and with the ram jaws 48 in an advanced position, thecutters 49 are actuated to sever the wire length 41 Then, with turret 1at dwell, and lifting spider 11 at idle at its inserting position, theoperating spider is actuated in a sequence wherein it first moves downto point VI to pivot the lever 46 and advance the jaws 48 to insert thewire end 40 into the button 41, remains stationary for an idle period topermit the softened button 41 to cool down, then moves up to point Iduring which time the ram jaws 48 are opened and retracted.

If a defective or missing stem 5 should be detected at station B by thedetector 64 (FIG. 4) so that the contacts 66 remain in engagement withfingers 65 then, with the parts of the mechanism in the position shownin FIG. 1 and corresponding to point I on the FIG. 7 chart (theoperating spider 15 and lifting spider 11 both being at rest or idlebetween positions I and II in the chart) the timer switch (FIG. 1)completesthe circuit to solenoid 56 (FIG. 4) to thereby withdraw thelocking pin 54 (FIG. 3) and disable the drive links 34 and 35 (FIG. 1)by permitting the cam segment 39 to pivot about pin 51 when link 34 ispulled to the left in FIG. l by lever 31 and cam 30. When the segment 39is thus pivoted, it releases the control button of the holding switch 83 to close the holding circuit through coil 82 of solenoid 56 (FIG. 4)to retain the locking pin 54 in retracted position. During thisdisablement of the drive to the operating shaft 16 of operating spider15, the said shaft 16 is tied to the lifting shaft 12 by the springs 61which hold the collar 18 on shaft 16 against the end of shaft 12. Theinserting mechanism is thereby rendered inoperative during theimmediately following cycle during which the defective stem 5 is locatedat the inserting station A. At the same point (point I, FIG. 7) in thesaid following cycle and with the parts of the mechanism again arrangedas in FIG. 1 and holding switch 8 6 opened by engagement of ear 86 oncam segment 39 with the switch control button 87 to thus release thelock-ing pin 54 to its locking position, if a satisfactory stem 5 shouldthen be present at station B, the circuit to solenoid 56 will be brokenby separaion of fingers 65 from contacts 66 so that the locking pin 54will remain locked to the cam segment 39. The operating drive links 3 4and 35 are thereby restored to a rigid condition through cam segment 39,thereby restoring the inserting mechanism to an operative condition.

While a particular organization and structure of the various elementshas been described, it will be evident that substantial modificationsmay be made within the spirit and scope of the invention defined in theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byLe-tters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a machine drive mechanism, the combination of vertically disposedlifting and operating shafts, means mounting said shafts for verticalmovement, a lifting drive cam and linkage means connected to saidlifting shaft, said cam being contoured to periodically raise and lowersaid shaft to and from an operating elevation, an operating drive camand linkage connected to said operating shaft, said operating drive cambeing contoured to raise said operating shaft in unison with saidlifting shaft during its movement to said operating elevation and beingfurther contoured to move said operating shaft vertically with respectto said lifting shaft at the operating elevation of said lifting shaft,means operable to disable the linkage connecting said operating drivecam and operating shaft, and means tieing together said lifting andoperating shafts during the disablement of the linkage to said operatingshaft so said operating shaft is constrained to move only in unison withsaid lifting shaft durng such dis'ablement.

2. In a machine drive mechanism, the combination of vertically disposedlifting and operating shafts, means mounting said shafts for verticalmovement, a lifting drive cam and linkage means connected to saidlifting shaft, said cam being contoured to periodically raise and lowersaid shaft to and from an operating elevation, an operating drive camand linkage connected to said operating shaft, said operating drive cambeing contoured to raise said operating shaft in unison with saidlifting shaft during its movement to said operating elevation and beingfurther contoured to move said operating shaft vertically with respectto said lifting shaft at the operating elevation of said lifting shaft,the linkage to said operating shaft comprising a generally vertical linkpivotally connected at its upper end to said operating shaft, agenerally horizontal link pivotally connected at one end to the lowerend of said vertical link, and a follower lever pivotally connected tothe other end of said horizontal link and arranged to impart a generallyhorizontal rectilinear movement to said horizontal link under theinfluence of said operating drive cam, a cam segment having therein aninclined slot, a roller member engaging the slot in said cam segment andsupported by said vertical and horizontal links at the axis of theircommon pivotal connection to rigidify the connection between said links,means mounting said cam segment for pivotal movement, means normallylocking said cam segment in fixed position, means operable to disablesaid loclsing means to permit pivotal movement of said cam segment andthereby disable the rigid connection of said vertical and horizontallinks, and means tieingttoge ther said lifting and operating shaftsduring the disablement of the linkage to said operating shaft so saidoperating shaft is constrained to move only in unison with said liftingshaft during such disablement.

'3. In a machine drive mechanism, the combination of a verticallydisposed hollow lifting shaft and an operating shaft within said liftingshaft, means mounting said shafts for vertical movement, a lifting drivecam and linkage means connected to said lifting shaft, said cam beingcontoured to periodically raise and lower said shaft to and from anoperating position with an idle period at said operating elevation, anoperating drive cam and linkage connected to said operating shaft, saidoperating drive cam being contoured to raise said operating shaft inunison with said lifting shaft during its movement to said operatingelevationand being further contoured to move said operating shaftvertically with respect to said lifting shaft as well as to idlemomentarily during the idle period of said lifting shaft at itsoperating elevation, means operable to disable the linkage connectingsaid operat ing drive cam and operating shaft during the common idleperiods of both the lifting and operating shafts, and spring meansnormally urging said operating shaft upward to hold it with a lateralabutting surface thereon in engagement with a cooperating lateralabutting surface on said lifting shaft to tie said operating shaft tosaid lifting shaft during the disablement of the operating drive linkageconnected to said operating shaft. 7

4. In a machine drive mechanism, the combination of a verticallydisposed hollow lifting shaft and an operating shaft within said liftingshaft, means mounting said lifting shaft as well as to idle momentarilyduring the idle period of said lifting shaft at its operating elevation,the linkage to said operating shaft comprising a generally vertical linkpivotally connected at its upper end to said operating shaft, agenerally horizontal link pivotally connected at one end to the lowerend of said vertical link, and a follower lever pivotally connected tothe other end of said horizontal link and arranged to impart a generallyhorizontal rectilinear movement to said horizontal link under theinfluence of said operating drive cam, a cam segment having therein aninclined slot, a roller member engaging the slot in said cam segment andsupported by said vertical and horizontal links at the axis of theircommon pivotal connection to rigidify the connection between said links,means mounting said cam segment for pivotal movement about an axis belowthe said slot in said cam segment, means normally locking said camsegment in fixed position, means operable to disable said locking meansduring the common idle periods of both the operating and lifting shaftsto permit pivotal movement of said cam segment and thereby disable therigid connection of said vertical and horizontal links, and spring meansnormally urging said operating shaft upward to hold it with a lateralabutting surface thereon in engagement with a cooperating lateralabutting surface on said lifting shaft to tie said operating shaft tosaid lifting shaft during the disablernent of the operating drivelinkage connected to said operating shaft.

5. Support wire insert-ing apparatus of the class described cornpn'singvertically disposed lifting and operating shafts, means mounting saidshafts for vertical movement, support means carried by said liftingshaft at its upper end, inserting heads mounted on said support meansand adapted to insert support wires end-foremost into a stem, actuatingmeans carried by said operating shaft at its upper end and connected toeffect operation of said inserting heads upon vertical movement of saidoperating shaft relative to said lifting shaft, a lifting drive cam andlinkage means connected to said lifting shaft at its lower end, said cambeing contoured to periodically raise and lower said lifting shaft tocarry said inserting heads to and from an operating elevation, anoperating drive cam and linkage connected to said operating shaft at itslower end, said operating drive cam being contoured to raise saidoperating shaft in unison with said lifting shaft during its movement tosaid operating elevation and being further contoured to move saidoperating shaft vertically with respect to said lifting shaft at theoperating elevation of said lifting shaft, means operable to disable thelinkage connecting said operating drive cam and operating shaft, andmeans tying together said lifting and operating shafts during thedisablement of the posed lifting and operating shafts, means mountingsaid,

shafts for vertical movement, support means carried by said liftingshaft at its upper end, inserting heads mounted on said support meansand adapted to insert support wires end-foremost into a stem at saidsupport wire inserting station, actuating means carried by saidoperating shaft at its upper end and connected to effect operation ofsaid inserting heads upon vertical movement of said operating shaftrelative to said lifting shaft, a lifting drive cam and linkage meansconnected to said lifting shaft at its lower end, said cam beingcontoured to periodically raise and lower said lifting shaft to carrysaid inserting heads to and from an operating elevation, an operatingdrive cam and linkage connected to said operating shaft at its lowerend, said operating drive cam being contoured to raise said operatingshaft in unison with said lifting shaft during its movement to saidoperating elevation and being further contoured to move said operatingshaft vertically with respect to said lifting shaft at the operatingelevation of said lifting shaft, disabling means operable to disable thelinkage connecting said operating drive cam and operating shaft, andmeans tying together said lifting and operating shafts during thedisablement of the linkage to said operating shaft so said operatingshaft is constrained to move only in unison with said lifting shaftduring such disablement, detection means located at another work stationahead of said support Wire inserting station and including means fordetecting the presence of a faulty stem or absence of a stem in the headat said other work station and also including means to effect operationof said disabling means upon detecting the absence of a stem or presenceof a faulty stem.

Flaws May 9, 1933 Flaws June 30, 1953

5. SUPPORT WIRE INSERTING APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISINGVERTICALLY DISPOSED LIFTING AND OPERATING SHAFTS, MEANS MOUNTING SAIDSHAFTS FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LIFTINGSHAFT AT ITS UPPER END, INSERTING HEADS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANSAND ADAPTED TO INSERT SUPPORT WIRES END-FOREMOST INTO A STEM, ACTUATINGMEANS CARRIED BY SAID OPERATING SHAFT AT ITS UPPER END AND CONNECTED TOEFFECT OPERATION OF SAID INSERTING HEADS UPON VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAIDOPERATING SHAFT RELATIVE TO SAID LIFTING SHAFT, A LIFTING DRIVE CAM ANDLINKAGE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LIFTING SHAFT AT ITS LOWER END, SAID CAMBEING CONTOURED TO PERIODICALLY RAISE AND LOWER SAID LIFTING SHAFT TOCARRY SAID INSERTING HEADS TO AND FROM AN OPERATING ELEVATION, ANOPERATING DRIVE CAM AND LINKAGE CONNECTED TO SAID OPERATING SHAFT